Mets Fall to N.L. East-Leading Nationals

WASHINGTON — With each pitch, Rafael Montero looked more out of place. Montero, a once-promising prospect who has fallen on hard times, could not find the strike zone. And just as in his past starts, the walks were piling up. But this time, the Mets could not survive them.

Desperate for wins in a tight National League wild-card race, the Mets fell to the Washington Nationals, 8-1, on Monday night at Nationals Park.

Despite high walk totals in Montero’s previous two starts, the Mets had won. Against the Nationals, he lasted only five outs and allowed six runs. Twice in the first inning, he walked batters with the bases loaded.

“I tried to do my job, and things didn’t go as I hoped,” Montero said.

This three-game series means more for the Mets, who retained their hold on the second N.L. wild-card spot despite the loss, than the Nationals, who possess a lead so large that the East Division race feels all but decided.

Injuries have battered the Mets’ starting rotation, and Montero was thrust into a crucial role because of the team’s limited options. Following Monday’s game, Mets Manager Terry Collins said Montero would not start again. Collins was not prepared to announce a replacement.

Montero labored in the first and was unable to find the strike zone consistently. He threw 35 pitches, only 19 for strikes. Although his command was poor, Montero somehow surrendered only the two runs he allowed by walks.

“That’s what you always try to do: attack the batter,” Montero said. “But sometimes things don’t go the way you want them.”

Despite Montero’s troubles, Collins let him bat for himself in the top of the second inning and allowed him to take the mound again. He rewarded Collins’s faith by coughing up more runs.

Collins said he had considered inserting Gabriel Ynoa, who was warming up, into the game in the second inning but opted against it because Ynoa was not accustomed to relieving.

“I wanted to see if the kid could settle down and pitch,” Collins said of Montero.

Montero instead surrendered a home run to Mat Latos, the Nationals’ fill-in starting pitcher. Montero recorded two outs but then gave up a double to Daniel Murphy, the ex-Met who has feasted on his former team’s pitching this season. The Mets had Montero intentionally walk Bryce Harper to face Anthony Rendon, who smashed a towering three-run homer.

“When you take the mound at the major league level, there are expectations,” Collins said. “One is to trust your stuff and throw the ball over the plate. That’s certainly something they’re taught in the minor leagues. It’s stressed in this organization immensely. If you get caught up in ‘Wow, these are big games,’ when are you going to get a chance to pitch in big games?”

Finally, Collins emerged from the dugout to remove Montero. He was replaced by Ynoa, who allowed two more runs, and the game slipped further out of reach.

In the sixth inning, with the Mets down by seven runs, Collins removed two important players — shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and left fielder Yoenis Cespedes. An inning later, Collins took out another key player, third baseman Jose Reyes, to assure him a little extra rest.

With Jacob deGrom and Steven Matz rehabilitating injuries, and Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler both done for the season, the Mets have had few proven options left for the rotation. Logan Verrett struggled when he first filled in for Harvey.

But their recent run of improved play was fueled, in part, by the strong performances of the rookie starters Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman. Even Montero, who was demoted to Class AA Binghamton because of his troubles at Class AAA Las Vegas, produced a formidable start for the Mets on Aug. 29 despite six walks.

But now that Montero has slipped, the Mets may be praying deGrom can return soon. He threw a 35-pitch bullpen session on Monday afternoon in Washington, another step in his expected return from forearm stiffness that arose on Sept. 1. DeGrom said the discomfort has dissipated.

If deGrom is not ready soon, the Mets could use Thursday’s day off to skip a spot in the rotation, or be forced to use Verrett, Ynoa or Sean Gilmartin as a starter.

INSIDE PITCH

Wilmer Flores tried to hit before the game, but his neck was still sore. Manager Terry Collins said he would not use Flores in a game as long as his injury still bothered him. Flores hurt his neck in a collision at home plate in Saturday’s game. … Steven Matz (shoulder) will throw again in Port St. Lucie, Fla. on Tuesday, Collins said. … Lucas Duda (back) has been taking batting practice in Florida … Collins said he was keeping an eye on the progress of Juan Lagares, who is returning from thumb surgery, because he could use him as a late-game defensive replacement in center field.

A version of this article appears in print on , on Page B11 of the New York edition with the headline: Mets’ Starter Fails to Last 2 Innings, and He May Not Get to Go Any Longer. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe